FORTY per cent of children in Warrington did not visit the dentist last year while 4,200 youngsters had teeth removed.

Figures released by NHS Digital have shown that 26,902 kids in the town visited the dentist in the 12 month prior to June while a total of 4,220 had tooth extractions.

Meanwhile, 57.8 per cent of adult in Warrington went to the dentist in the 24 months prior to the same date, with 18,020 requiring tooth removals.

Overall, the amount charged to patients for dental work in Warrington in 2015/16 was £3,394,833.

The number of NHS dentists working in Warrington has increased in the last five years – 77 dentists are now available per 100,000 of the population, up from 52 in 2011/12.

A spokesman for NHS England said: “For patients that do not currently see a dentist regularly we would encourage them to visit NHS Choices to find a list of local NHS dental practices in their area.

“Patients can also contact the local dental helpline for Cheshire and Merseyside by calling 0161 476 9651 where they can access information about urgent dental care in their area as well as routine care.”